Wednesday was our 9th anniversary, but we were both dragging after long days,decided to use a gift certificate friends had given me to a Thai restaurant. Fabulous grilled squid appetizer, excellent papaya salad. Then a good ped penang (nicely spiced), and a pretty terrible pad ke mao (gummy noodles). Wine list was terrible, I had water and Betsy hot tea, but when we got back home I opened the 1999 Charles Ellner "Cuvee Seduction" Brut Champagne. Big, bready, yeasty style, apples and some very light oxidative notes, a little on the heavy side, could use more zip for my tastes, aimed more for the Krug end of spectrum (not saying it is that class). Still, enjoyable. B
Tonight I was cooking. Pork chops with mushrooms (cremini and dried porcini), beets with a mustard vinaigrette, broccolini, and spinach. Cooking wine was the 2009 Anselmi "San Vincenzo" . Sweet pear and nectarine, nuts, a bit light but nice wine. B/B-
Dinner wine was the 2009 JP Brun/Terres Dorees Cote de Brouilly. I was initially a little disappointed, this seemed a tad muted and thin (not what I expected from 2009 Beaujolais). But it quickly put on weight and complexity, and by now (3+ hours later) I'm in love with this wine. Red cherries, baking spices, earth, cocoa. Really really nice. Good length, sappy, happy wine. Maybe I'm a victim of the hype,but I've been very happy with the 2009 Beaujolais. A-
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.